Public baying for wrong blood in social worker ‘witch hunt’

A father whose two children were abused by a teenager placed with the family by Vale of Glamorgan Council has criticised the public for subjecting the social services department to a ‘witch hunt’ and baying ‘for the wrong blood’.

The youth was placed with the family by the council, which did not reveal his past offences.

He went on to rape and sexually abuse the couple’s children, and Cardiff crown court last month gave him an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection after he admitted the crimes.

But the father said staff at the council’s adult placement service had endured ‘targeted harassment’ after details of the case came to light.

In an email sent to BBC Radio Five Live, he wrote: ‘We can’t undo what happened to our children, but what we can do is to try to make sure that this never happens again. This is not going to happen if the public continue a witch hunt against social services and continue to bay for the wrong blood.’

He added: ‘What we ask is that, however appalled you may be, sacking the boss, or anyone for that matter, is not always the answer.’

The confirmation that social services knew of the teenager’s background came as the council issued an unreserved apology to the family earlier this month and revealed that disciplinary action had taken place.